The Department of Animal Husbandry was established in 1898. At that time, the department had five breeds of horses, six breeds of cattle, seven breeds of sheep, and breeds of swine used for classes and research in breeding and feeding. Also in 1898, students in the Animal Husbandry participated in the first intercollegiate livestock judging contest at the Trans-Mississippi Exposition in Omaha, Nebraska. Throughout the 20th century, the curriculum has focused on animal breeding and nutrition, meat and milk production, and pork, poultry, beef, dairy, sheep and equine systems management. The name of the Department was changed of the Department of Animal Science in 1962. The Department of Poultry Science merged with the Department in 1971.